


Return to Me

by Galindrael



Series: A Very Dragon Age Christmas [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, DECFANFIC, Day Five, F/M, I enjoy writing angst but I'm secretly a fluff junkie, Worry, a little angsty, a smidge of fluff, mention of lyrium withdrawal, overly bundled up for weather
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-28 06:03:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2721476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galindrael/pseuds/Galindrael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another mission outside of Skyhold, another day. Scáthach would only be gone for the day, but there were thoughts that would plague the Commander no matter the distance that her missions took her.</p><p>For the #DecFanFic contest.</p><p>There are currently 22 parts to this series, the link, for some reason is broken- sorry for the issue, I'm trying to fix it (as of 1 February 2015)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return to Me

Scáthach was standing facing the full length mirror, trying her best to hide Cullen’s love bites with her make-up. Still groggy, she didn’t even notice him approach her from behind, but she felt his hands on her hips and she looked at his reflection in the mirror and found he was doing the same. The Commander, who was used to getting up so early to start his day, was already dressed.

“Good morning,” he leaned down for a kiss and she offered him his cheek, leaning it towards him.

“I don’t see how you do this, Cullen, I hate being up this early,” Scáthach had returned to fixing her make-up.

He gripped her hips harder and turned her to face him, “I like having most of my duties done by the afternoon, so I can,” he leaned down to her, “have the night to myself”. He kissed her and she wrapped her hands around his neck as he pulled her closer.

Cullen always got this way when Scáthach needed to leave the safety of Skyhold. Even when it was just a a day trip like today. He needed to make sure she knew she was loved and wanted before she passed through the gates. She actually really hated letting him know when she intended to leave Skyhold. This time she had a day’s warning from Solas about the rarer herbs needing to be re-stocked. As soon as she told him he had his scouts’ reports where it was the safest to get each of the herbs on the list and was happy to hear Solas only needed the ones that were less than a day’s ride; meaning she would be back by nightfall.

Cullen had a fear she would leave and never return to him. The nightmares that were once all about Kinloch and what transpired there slowly started involving Scáthach more and more. Sometimes she would appear as one of the dead bodies on the floor or he’d watch a demon slice her to pieces in place of a mage. What he feared more was that she would be caught off guard and killed in the middle of some field and be covered in snow only to be found when spring returned to melt the snow. _She must return to me._ He hadn’t the heart to tell her just how much he was plagued by the thought. She just knew she worried and was oblivious about how often. _She doesn’t need to bear my weight on her shoulders, she already has enough._

 

A knock on the door caused Cullen to break apart from her.

 The poor man still had trouble with displaying too much affection in front of others; Scáthach enjoyed embarrassing the Commander from time to time. The last time they were arguing about something having to do with troop placements and Cullen pulled the “I have more experience card” and generally being cocky about it, so she, in the middle of the courtyard and surrounded by his training soldiers, grabbed Cullen by his pauldrons and kissed him. He had staggered back for a second but he still placed his hands around her face and when the troops caught sight of that they all started whooping and whistling and Cullen went scarlet. She didn’t wait for his reprimands and had sauntered back towards the keep’s main hold making sure to sway her hips. She heard the troops were punished dearly for their actions and, to be fair, she was too later that night.

“Come in,” he replied once he was far enough away from her so it didn’t appear that they were having an intimate moment seconds before.

A small elven man came in with breakfast, “Where would you like these Ser Cullen?” Cullen was about to nod at the table by the fireplace but realized he left his reports scattered about. The elf tried to go around the Commander, but Cullen was determined to clean his own mess.

“No need, Ser Cullen, I can do that,” he stated a little alarmed and unsure what to do with Cullen.

“It’s fine, Threwen, I simply forgot about them,” Cullen was looking down and gathering his papers and did not notice the young red-headed elf’s face when he heard his name; eyes wide and mouth slightly opening before closing again.

“Ma serranas, Ser Cullen,” He set the tray down and bowed to Cullen and he turned to Scáthach, “And, dareth shiral, to you Lady Inquisitor” Scáthach nodded her head to him. He went back downstairs quickly and quietly.

“What was that last bit?” Cullen asked while setting their plates.

“Safe journey, I think,” Scáthach sat down and placed her hands in her lap, falling into the routine of her past, something she rarely did anymore but would, occasionally, when saddened.

They ate breakfast quietly, Scáthach going over what was needed in her head and Cullen worrying up a storm in his mind. He helped her fasten her armor after they were finished, taking every excuse to be near her. As she was fastening her belt around her hips Cullen offered her a packed bag. She took it and looked to him, “I, uh-” Cullen chuckled, “I couldn’t sleep”.

Scáthach sighed, “Cullen,” she opened the bag, then grabbed a pair of gloves from her drawer and shoved them in.

“There’s a vial,” Cullen stopped trying to not even say the word, “I placed a vial of lyrium on the side. I know you haven’t taken it in days,” he looked to her pleading for her to not question how he knew where her lyrium was, but she did.

“Cullen, how did you get it,” she looked to her closet and then back at him, “You shouldn’t have, Cullen”.

“It’s fine, I just placed it in your pack, in case you needed it,” Cullen took a step towards her and she took a small step back.

“How did you know to look in there Cullen,” her face tensed.

“You left the door open a while ago and I saw them,” he scrunched up his face, “No, I saw the box and the seal burned into it. I knew, Scáthach,” he took another step to her, this time, she didn’t step back, “I didn’t take any if that’s what you’re worried about,” his jaw clenched.

“No, I,” Scáthach touched his arm, “It’s not that Cullen, I just, Maker, I feel awful about it sometimes,” she looked to Cullen trying to reassure him, “I promise-When this is done and Corypheus and his mages are dead I will stop taking lyrium too. I trust your judgment on this, Cullen, but you can’t deny I am better protected as a Templar fighting those particular troops”.

“I know,” Cullen took her hand in his and kissed it, “I’ll be here to help you when the time comes” he smiled and pulled her into a hug.

 

When she and Cullen finally came down, Varric and Solas were waiting by the fire.

“Ah, I almost thought you forgot,” Varric laughed and stood up throwing his pack over his shoulder.

“Yes, I am glad to get going, I don’t want our stocks getting too low,” Solas finished his coffee before he stood up, staff in hand.

“You know I can have troops gather them for you,” Cullen offered as they began to walk to the door.

“Yes, but they're rather brutish with the plants sometimes, and these are rather difficult to pick without damaging,” Solas responded as he was putting his gloves on, staff tucked under his arm.

“I can’t say you’re wrong there,” Cullen responded.

“That’s cause Chuckles is right about it,” Varric replied, and flipped his hood on his head, unsure if it was still snowing.

Cullen stopped suddenly, “Where’s  Seeker Cassandra?”

“Ah, the elven boy, uh-,” Varric paused.

“Threwen” Cullen offered.

“Yea, Threwen. He said she was about to head to the stables to pack her horse a few minutes ago”

The guards opened the door, not announcing their names as the sun was yet to rise and Scáthach made a particular stink about it since it used to wake her up every time. An empty keep could carry a lot of sound, it turned out.

They walked silently towards the stables when Cullen just started snickering. Scáthach, Varric and Solas looked to Cullen who was trying to keep his composure but soon spotted why the Commander had started laughing.

Cassandra was tying her pack to the mount covered head to toe in thick clothing; boots with gray fur sticking out, thick riding pants and so bundled up in jackets and furs that you could not tell there was even a Nevarran woman under all the layers. It was cold, but it was not _that_ cold.

“Say, Seeker, how do you plan to fight if you can’t move?!” Varric called out and was met with a sneer,as Cassandra turned to face the group.

“Sh-sh-shut it, dwarf, I am not built for this weather,” She tucked her hands under her arms, shivering, “My people are used to hot s-summers and mild winters. Not this shit,” she kicked at the snow.

“So that is why you have declined the last few outings,” Solas chuckled, his bare-head steaming from the cold.

“I hate this weather,” she managed to get her shivering under control, “But Bull’s still recovering and Blackwall has yet to return from Orlais with Josephine, so here I am,” she moved closer to the group.

“Alright, but if I die because you can’t get your shield-arm up, I’m haunting you,” Varric ticked to his usual mount so it leaned down for the dwarf.

“Duly noted,” Cassandra quipped as she turned to mount her horse.

Solas, Varric and Cassandra waited by the gate, giving Scáthach and Cullen a moment alone before their departure.

Scáthach was the last to mount as Cullen had pulled her aside, “Be careful, promise you’ll come back to me” he hugged her and felt her slightly shiver and he chuckled, “Would you like my coat, my Lady?”

She slipped her hands between his coat and his armor, “I always come back but, no, my coat is sufficient. Your coat is heavy and the day will warm when the sun rises, but thank you Ser Cullen”.

“Ser?” he had raised his eyebrows.

“You were being all chivalric, I thought it appropriate,” she planted a quick kiss on Cullen’s cheek, “I will see you tonight”.

“Yes, Inquisitor,” she scrunched up her nose when he used that title, and he laughed.

“I’ll be back later _Cullen,”_ she retracted her hands and placed a hand on his face, “I love you”.

“I love you too, Scáthach,” Cullen sullenly replied and watched them leave for their mission.

 

Cullen spent the rest of the day mostly worrying about Scáthach and spent lunch with a rather unfortunate headache, gifted to him from the lyrium withdrawal. He ate alone in Scáthach’s room with a pile of reports and full intention to stay awake until she got back. But he woke when he felt a pair of hands snake their way across his torso and a small hand placed upon his chest. She used his weight to pull herself towards him until her body was flushed with his.  She kissed his shoulder and nuzzled against him for warmth. Cullen turned around and offered her her preferred position, of her head on his shoulder and his arm resting upon her head so he could run his hands through her hair.  

“Did I wake you?” She asked quietly.

“You did, but I am glad you did,” he squeezed her lightly and placed a kissed on her forehead.

She returned, as promise.

**Author's Note:**

> This particular day was used as more of a prequel for a later day, the prompt was just nodded to towards the end with Cassandra. This one took off in an entirely different direction but it will makes sense once the particular prompt (Day 9?) comes around. Thank you for reading!


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